The Time Came

After marveling at the Sandeqs and grabbing a quick coffee, we boarded the schooner. Horst, who had recently sailed it up the coast from Makassar to serve as the finish boat for the Sandeq Race, was now heading home. We were hitching a ride to a town south of Mamuju.

Horst was looking for a new owner for the schooner, as he admitted he was getting too old for it. Considering it's a 40-foot schooner made of 20 tons of Sulawesi hardwood, his asking price of around S$10,000 was a steal.

The schooner was built to commemorate Sulawesi's traditional boat building heritage being listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's a truly authentic vessel, dating back to the 1920s and powered entirely by sail. The only modern addition to the schooner is a Garmin GPS. This minimalist approach also eliminates a lot of wiring headaches. The cabins were originally cargo holds but now feature simple bunks. Showers are taken on deck, and the head is located under a hatch on the poop deck. To access the head, you lift the hatch, step down onto two planks, and sit comfortably above the rudder. You can conduct your business while keeping an eye on things with only your head above deck.

The 'galley' is a small closet located at the forward side of the main mast. Water is stored in large containers on deck and must be shifted side-to-side when tacking or jibing. This practice reflects the innovative use of ballast that was common in Sulawesi's traditional boats.